The present invention relates to printers, especially those for data processing equipment, and particularly to a dot matrix printer which prints characters in either of two or more inks and to a cartridge having a plurality of ribbons each with a different ink suitable for use in such a printer. The invention also relates to improvements for printers to enable facile use of multiple ribbons. The invention also relates to a method of printing materials, such as checks, requiring different inks, such as standard and MICR type inks.
In the past, printers used with data processing equipment were capable of printing with only a single ribbon at one time. For some printing jobs this has proven inconvenient. For example, when printing payroll checks the bulk of the information printed on the check may be printed with ordinary ink and any normal typeface. The name of the issuer, the issuer's bank, the date and the payee may be so printed. However, checks also must include certain information printed in a special typeface with magnetic (MICR-Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) ink. Such information includes a bank identification number, a check number and an amount.
MICR ink is substantially more expensive than ordinary ink. Additionally, MICR inked ribbons for high speed printers are single strike ribbons, which, unlike the ribbon used with ordinary ink, e.g. fabric ribbons, may not be circulated past the printhead more than one time. The result is that MICR ribbon cartridges must be replaced after many fewer characters have been printed than comparable ordinary ribbon cartridges and at a greater cost. Therefore, it has not proven economical to print entire checks with MICR ink.
The past practice when printing payroll checks has been to preprint the bank identification number and check number in MICR ink and typeface on the check blanks; or this process may involve using a separate printer, e.g. a daisy wheel printer or MICR encoder, either before or after the non-MICR information has been printed on the checks, but in any event in a separate operation and normally without amount information. In a separate printing operation, or in the same operation but with different ink, the issuer's name and bank are also printed on the check blank. Then the check blank is run through a printer which may be controlled by a data processor to print in ordinary ink the date, the payee's name, and the amount of the check. The first bank to receive the check then must read the amount of the check and add to the check blank the dollar amount in MICR characters and ink.
Another prior process for placing MICR information, e.g. relating to bank identification number, account number, and sequence number, may be carried out using a separate MICR encoding machine. Moreover, heretofore a typical check is not encoded with amount information until it reaches the first bank for clearing, payment, etc.; at such bank an MICR encoding (proof) machine is used to apply such amount information to enable subsequent automatic reading and/or handling of the check.
The process of issuing and processing checks such as payroll checks would be greatly simplified if a single printer could print all the data on the front of the check, using either ordinary or MICR inks and typefaces as required. Likewise the processes of encoding MICR information on documents other than checks and of printing multiple information on such documents would be greatly simplified, according to the present invention, e.g. by using only a single prior and multiple ribbon capability thereof.